RAPTORES. 7 



KESTREL, Falco tinnu^culus. By far the com- 

 monest hawk we have, and particularly numerous 

 in autumn. It appears to be partially migratory, 

 for comparatively few pairs remain here to breed. 

 Mr. Belfrage informs me that he once found a pair 

 of these birds nesting in a hollow tree. A remark- 

 able instance of fearlessness in a Kestrel in defending 

 its nest, came under my observation in the spring 

 of 1864. A lad had climbed to the nest in a tall 

 fir-tree, and was about to grasp the eggs, when 

 the bird which he had disturbed from them swooped 

 at his hand, which he withdrawing suddenly, one 

 of the eggs was broken to pieces by the talons of 

 the bird. 



A curious incident occurred here one day in 

 November, 1865. A cat belonging to a neighbour was 

 lying concealed in a drain in a meadow, watching her 

 opportunity to seize a field-mouse, when a Kestrel 

 swooped upon a mouse, so close to her that with 

 a sudden spring she caught the bird, and even- 

 tually killed it ; a termination to her hunt as un- 

 looked for by her as it was unexpected by the 

 Kestrel, who had probably been so intent upon 

 the moving mouse as to overlook the motionless 

 cat. This was related to me by the owner of the 

 cat, who took the bird from her a few minutes 

 after the event. 



During the autumn of 1862 I observed Kes- 

 trels almost daily, and frequently saw three or 



